Improvement in wheelwrights  machines



M.; c. BUFHNGTUN.

Wheelwright-Machines.

Patented Aug.18,187 4.

together;

UNITED STATES PATENTu OFEIoE.

MOSES o. BUEEINGTON, or BURLINGTON, IOWA, ASSIGNOE OE ONEEALE IIIS EIGHT TO JAMES M. EOENEY, OE SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WHEELWRIGHTS MACHINES. j

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154.] 7l, dated August 18,1874; application riled February 9, 1874. f

CASE A.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MOSES C. BUFEINGTON, of Burlington, county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in VVheelwrights7 Machines. The following description, taken in connection with the accompanying plates of drawings hereinafter referred to, forms a full and exact specication, wherein are set forth the nature and principles of the invention, by which the same may be distinguished from others of a similar class, together with such parts thereof as are claimed as new, and are desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States.

My invention relates to that class of machines generally known as wheelwrights machines, and more especially to that particular class thereof which are used for finishing or completing the construction of the various parts of vehicle-wheels, adapting saidr various parts to each other, and finishing up the wheel after the various parts are all placed and the nature thereof consists in improvements as follows: First, in the arrangement with the main frame and rotary cutter of a table so constructed that the wheel, when mounted thereon, may have a freerotary movement in a horizontal plane, with the front side of the fellies in position for being operated upon by the rotary cutter, the action of which thereon is controlled by an adjustable table, which is pivoted or hinged to the main frame, all as hereinafter fully described. Second, it consists in mounting the wheel upon a feeding-screw, in such manner that it may be turned up horizontally upon the main frame for adjustment in the holding-chuck, and its own gravity tend to hold it in true position for the operation of the rotary cutter upon its circumferential edge, all as hereinafter fully described. Third, it consists in the arrangement of a frame transversely adjustable upon the main frame, and carrying a feedingscrew, upon which the wheel is mounted, so as to be adjustable properly to the rotary cutter all as hereinafter fully described. Fourth, in the arrangement of a cam with the chuck or other device for holding the" hub during the last-described operation, with a bar having a long slot,between the parallel cheeks of which the body part of a projecting stud from the cam accurately iits, iu such manner that the Wheel may be freely turned upon the stud as upon an axis, and by which two motions Of the wheel may be obtainedthe one circular and the other rectilinearwhereby the circumferential curve may be varied from a circle, all as hereinafter fully described. Fifth, it consists in adjusting the last-described slotted plate in such manner that the degree of irregularity of the outer surface of the rim of fellies may be regulated, all as hereinafter fully described. Sixth, it consists in the arrangement of a shaft carrying diagonally-placed circular saws in such manner as to dress the backs of the rims ot' fellies, bringing them all to an even thickness, while the wheel is mounted as last described, for the operation ofthe rotary cutter.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, the similar letters used as marks of reference apply to the like parts in all of the flgures- Figure 1 being a top view of a machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a top view of that portion of Fig. l adjacent to the rotary cutter, and showing also a wheel in position for being operated upon g Fig. 3, a Sectional view of Fig. 2 on the line a: x; Fig. 4, a side elevation of the table, Fig. l Fig. 5, a sec tional view of Fig. 1 on the line y y, looking toward the left hand,the wheel to be operated upon being shown turned upward in a horizontal plane. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig, 5. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views in perspective, and Fig. 9 is a detail View iu elevation.

The construction and relative arrangement of the parts of the machine are as follows: The working parts of the machine are supported upon a main frame consisting of Side pieces A A,end pieces A Af", and posts a a a a, the construction of which may be varied at option. B is the main drive-shaft, and may be situated where shown7 or at any desirable `place upon the machine, or adjacent thereto. C is a counter-shaft, carried'in suitable bearings upon the main frame A, and driven by a belt, C', from Y a pulley, b, on the shaft B. c is a rotary cutter, y j other end of which is threaded for the reception of various other tools hereinafter enu-.c merated, a small auger, e', being shown thereon at Fig. l. D is a frame, having ways d d V,ou its upperside, and its side pieces next the main frame A fitted in ledges d d on themain frame, in such manner that the frame D may be a 'listed vertically by means of a feeding or regulating screw, d". E is a tablefwhich is notched onto the ways or slides d d, so that it may be reciprooated to or from the auger c', and is provided on its upper surface with adjustable blocks e e e e. F is a table. f is an e arm, supported above the table F by adjust-ving-screws f f7, and in a line with the axis of the shaft C. f lis pivot-bolt, provided with a collar, f, above the bar f, and a` thumbscrew, fm', by means of which it. may be adjusted in a vertical 'slot in the arm f, and through which it passes in its distance from the rotary cutter c. G is a wheel, mounted upon the pivotal bolt f as a journal. His a table, pivoted or hinged to the main frame, so that it may be thrown back, as shown at Fig. 1, or turned down, as shown at Fig. 2, in such position that an opening, h, may come immediately over the cutter c. h is an adjustingscrew, threaded where it passes through the free end of the table H, and its lower end impinges upon the side frame A. I is a table, carried upon suitable ways or slides on the main frame A, in such manner that it may be movable in a direction transversely with said main frame, or parallel to Vthe axis of the shaft C, and its position transversely upon the main frame may be regulated and fixed by an adjusting-screw, I. 'J is a feed-screw, having suitable hearings j j on the frame I, and carries a feed-screw block, J', to which is pivoted a plate, L, at the point l, and which has a long slot, l', with parallel cheeks, in one of its sides, (see Figs. 7, 8, and 9,) and a segmental slot, l, through which a screw-bolt passes, as shown plainly at Fig. 7, for regulating the angular position of the slot l to the horizon. G is a wheel; g, the hub; g', the spokes, and g/ vthe fellies. At Figs. 1, 5, and 6 the front end of the hub is shown with a chuck, m, at-

tached thereto. Any desired chuck may be used for the purpose, the one shown being of that class in which a spirally-grooved plate, m', carries, and is used for expanding and contracting the jaws n n u n, which hold the hub. N is a cam, attached to the rear side of the chuck m, and should contain as many faces as there are fellies in the wheel G, (the one shown having six,) the angles between the faces being somewhat rounded off, as shown at Fig. 8, which is a perspective view of its rear side and the adjacent parts. P is a stud, projecting from the rear central part of the cam N, its body part made cylindrical, and to fit/.accurately between the parallel cheeks of the slot Z, and carrying on its outer end a.

carried onone end of the shaft C, .theyI head, (see Fig. 8,)whichprevents its longi-z tudinal movement in the line of Yits own axis in saidl slot, but allows a free rotary movement and` a free longitudinal movement within the slot itself, and parallel with the sides of the slot. R is a shaft, provided with suitable bearings on a support, r, which is attached to the side ofthe main frame A, so as to be easily removed, andI has upon one end diagonally-placed circular saw-toothed cutters r r', and receivesmotionbya band, r", from a pulley, 11,'on the shaftB. S S are guidevblocks upon the main frame, the one S being adjustablev by means of a` set-screw, s. (See Fig. l.) i

f The operations of my invention not already evident from the foregoing description are as followsz The dotted lines Z at Figs. l and 5 show plainly the position of a felly upon the table E, and it will be evident to any one skilled in the art that the table E may be.

moved forward or back, and the stops or guide e so adjusted thereon that the fellies may be advanced to the auger c', and bored uniformly for the dowel-pins used at the joints between their adjacent ends. It will be evident, also, that the frame E may be removed and others mounted upon the supports D, for holding the wheel and operating it for the action of devices for cutting the spokes of uniform lengths,

cutting the tenons thereon, Src. Further, that the wheel G being fixed in position, as described, upon the pivot f its distance from the rotary cutter c may be adjusted by sliding said pivot in the slot in the bar f, so as to bring the back or rear side of the fellies g immediately over the hole h in the table H, said table being adjusted to regulate the depth of cut of the rotary cutter c by means of the screw h; and said screw h may be used also to raise the table when a revolution of the wheel has been completed, and thus throw it out of cut at the proper time to leave a level and smooth facing for the front of the fellies. The rear end of the hub g being secured in the chuck m, which is in turn suspended in the slot l of cam-disk N by the stud P, the parts being in a horizontal position, as shown at Figs. 5 and 6, the chuck may be tightened up on the hub, so as to bring the faces of the cam in the proper relative position, with the joints between the fellies, for purposes hereinafter described. The wheel and chuck may now be turned down upon the feeding-screw J to the position shown at Fig. l, and by dotted lines at Fig. 6, in which position its own gravity will tend to support it. The position of the table I having been properly adjusted first, the guide S may be adjusted for the fronts of the fellies, so that when the wheel is rotated their backs will be dressed true by the circular saws r. The relative position of the wheel to the rotary cutter e'may be regulated by the feed-screw J, and for the purpose of securing uniformity of size of wheels, a jam-nut or other guide or gage may be used upon the feeding-screw J or other place. A bar, I of the frame I is so larranged that as the Wheel Gis rotated the cam N rests upon said bar, and will give to the Wheel a reciprocating movement to and from the cutter c by means of thestud P sliding in the slot Z', While it also rotates in the same, the eifect of said reciprocating movement being to turn the outer circumference of the fellies a little higher at their joints than at their central-parts,the relative positions ot' the cam N and Wheel being, as hereinbefore intimated, regulated relatively to bring said higher places in the aforesaid location. The amount of rise at the fellyjoints may be governedby adjusting the angle ofthe slot l' in the plate L by meansof setscreW in the slot, as will be evident from inspection of the drawings. Fig. 9 will illustrate, by the dotted and full lines, the effect upon the movement of the Wheell G of the cam N impinging upon the bar I". The rotary motion may be given to the Wheel G by hand or by any suitable power. By removing the frame r, which supports the shaft R, the ordinary device for guiding fellies While their inner faces are being dressed may be attached for operation of the cutter c, or other desired devices for guiding parts to be operated upon.

I claim l. The table F, bar f, and adjusting-screws f' f', arranged to operate with the rotary cutter c and table H, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. A chuck for holding the wheel, having the cam Nsecured thereto, and operating as shown and described, for the purpose of imparting reciprocating motion to the Wheel as the latter is rotated and operated on by the cutter c, substantiallyas set forth.

3. rIhe movable -frame or'Y table I, feedscrew J, cam N ,bar I, and rotary cutter c, operating in combination, substantially as and for the purpose specific 4. The plate L, when constructed as .described and adjustably attached to the feedingscrew box J', substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The cam N, arranged to operate with the plate L, stud P, bar I", box J', chuck. m, andv rotary cutter c, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

6. The frame I, adjusting-screw I', feed! screw J, plates L and N, box J', chuck lm, and guards S S', arranged to operate with the facing-cutters 1' 1" and rotary cutter c, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

7. The chuck m, rotary cutter c, and cutter r, operating in combination With the movable frame or table I, in manner substantially as 

